The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-18

uClu III GuC olICl CluoOn, oCSou1HobASo
by Col. John Stephens, general So
licitor of the road. When the body
of Edwin E. Adams was searched by
one of bis friends, neither his pocket
book nor his gold watch and chain
could be found. Although he was
known to have started on the trip
with large sum of money, the only
cash was found on his person was
thirty dollars, which be had in the
watch pocket of his trousers.
SIGNIFICANT TESTIMONY.
CnATswoRTH, Ills, August l2.-
At the morning session of the coro-
ner's jury some decidedly significant
testimony was given. Timothy
Coughlan, section foreman here, tes-
tilted that be had four men helping
on his six and half miles. He re.
ceived orders on Wednesday to 60
over his section and see that the
bridges and track were all right.
Coughlan went to the east end of the
section and burned the grass along
the track for half a mile. The burned
piece was about half mile from
the wreck, and he put the fire out.
He examined the bridge about 5
o'clock and found no smoke about it,
and otherwise it was all right. About
three weeks ago the grass under the
hridge had been cut away for ten feet
from the bridge timbers, and he had
no idea how the bridge could have
caught fire.
Christopher Ennis, roadmaster for
the line from the State line to Peria,
said he went over the road on Wed
nesday from Fairbury to Gilman.
He went over the fatal bridge just
before 4 o'clock in the afternoon.
he was on the rear end Of the car
and saw that the bridge was all
right. There was no fire or smoke
about the bridge. Ennis said:
"My opinion is that the bridge WAS
set on fire by somebody. My train
was the last train over before the
special, and if there was fire there
the men would have discovered it.
The bridge could have been burned
in two or three hours. About three
years ago two attempts ~sre made to
ditch the 10 o'clock passenger train
at that bridge, and we kept watch
man there for six weeks. Obstruc-
tions were piled on the track. 1t is
very lonesome place, far from any
house."
INCIDENTS OF THE WRECK.
CHATswoETH, August Histories
and Incidents cenceraing the disaster
are coming to light as tie 5Ge excitement
in a measure dies out. Robberies
are becoming known. Miller Patter.
son, when he left Wyoming, bis home,
carried silver watch and had about
$50 in money, after buying his ticket.
Only 81 were found on his body. A
man, apparently a tramp, about 80
years of age, was caught in the act
of robbing corpse, and was spotted
thereafter by a young man and made
a sneak for Piper City.
For three honrs one woman was
hanging out of the car. window, her
body lifeless. She was caught BY
the thighs, and it took about fifteen
minutes to extricate her. Her legs
were horribly mangled, and the flesh
torn completely off.
One of the most ghoulish acts ever
recorded is going the rounds. A
man was getting out of the cars
Near him, during the journey, was
woman with a fine gold watch and
chain. She was badly injured, and
cried with anguish: "Oh, God! Help
me?' The man turned apparently to
assist her, but, instead, stopped over,
grabbed the watch and chain and fed
A PAIR OF LOVERS.
On the upper floor a handsome wo
man, about twenty years of age,
stylishly dressed, lay extended on q
couch. She was Miss Hattie Bren'
ner, of Pennington, Ills, and was on
her way to Niagara Falls, with sew
eral relatives. In the party was q
man named Walters, also Of Farm
iGgton, and to whom she was en-
gagged to be married. He had been
badly injured and lay near her on a
bed attended by couple of surgeons
While Miss Brenner was physically
unhurt, yet the fright and knowledge
Of her lovers injuries had rendered
her insane.
An Investigation Ordered.
CHICAGO, August ia dispatch
from Springfield, Ills, says that a